There are many different conditions that can cause disease in the bowels of dogs. Some of these are simple to treat, but others can be serious to your dog's health. Parasites, colitis and cancer some of the more common bowel afflictions in canines.
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Parasites
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There are six different types of intestinal parasites that can infect dogs, including hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, tapeworms, giardia and coccidia. Symptoms of an intestinal parasite infection are diarrhea, the presence of the worms in the stool, weight loss and bloody stool.
Colitis
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Colitis is caused by inflammation in a dog's colon. Symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, poor appetite, weight loss and lethargy.
Cancer
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Cancer of the colon is not uncommon in dogs. Symptoms include diarrhea with mucus or blood. The dog will likely strain to defecate.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
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Inflammatory bowel disease causes persistent vomiting and diarrhea in dogs. What causes the disease remains a mystery.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Irritable bowel syndrome in dogs involves diarrhea and cramping for no known cause. Symptoms include soft stool, frequent defecation, straining to defecate and abdominal distension.
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